Manipulation
by TimeGuardian
Summary: Jonny Quest is thought to have been killed in an explosion at Palm Key, but the truth can be manipulated. The end is finally here.
1. Prologue and Painful Mobius

-**_Manipulation_**-  
_by Time Guardian_  
  
__

_Prologue - **Tragedy**_  
_-five years ago - Palm Key, Florida-_

* * *

On a bright sunny day, Jonny Quest played in the sand happily at Palm Key.  
He had finished his lessons early for once, so as a reward, Race brought   
him down to the beach for some sun and fun while Hadji stayed with their  
dad in the lab, gathering material for a report on science that Race wanted.  
  
His father was working and Race was keeping a close eye on him,  
so he felt safe.   
  
However, It was after the twenty-second time that he built and conquered   
the sand castle he built that he was tired and wanted something to drink-  
and sure enough, he noticed Race was fast asleep. Jonny nudged him as   
hard as he could, but Race simply snorted and began snoring off-key.  
  
-_Of all the_-   
  
Jonny understood that Race was there for his safety and all,  
but when his dad made him promise never to go far without Race, he didn't  
expect to feel as if he had a collar on his neck like Bandit.  
  
He sat on the sand and absently scratched Bandit behind one ear.  
  
"It wont take that long," Jonny thought aloud, "I'll just get a soda from the   
main house and come right back. Nah wait, I'll get two, that way maybe Race   
wont be too mad when I get back."  
  
Jonny gave a stern look at Bandit. "Stay, boy. I'll be right back."  
  
He got to to his feet and ran the few yards to the main house.  
  
Bandit yawned and laid down at Race's feet to wait.   
  
The little dog was just starting to doze off when the main house exploded   
into a ball of fire.  
------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

_Chapter One - **Painful Mobius**_  
-_present day - Maine_-  
  
The summer night was silent, save for the occasional chirp of crickets, and  
the obstinate gurgle of a toad or two.  
  
The solitary figure stood on an outcropping of rocks on the coast. Dressed in  
traditional Ninja garments and carrying a black backpack and a sword slung  
behind his back, he took out a pair of binoculars and studied the compound   
that was only a few hundred yards away from his position.  
  
His mission was clear. The victim should be asleep in the main house. He   
would kill him, then he would raid the lighthouse laboratory for the VR   
technology that his employer had requested he steal.  
  
He stashed the binoculars back into his pack, and slipped a black hood   
over his face.

Time to get the job done. He broke into a full run, until he reached the perimeter  
of the compound.

The security systems were easy enough to infiltrate. The intruder found the boxes  
around the perimeter of the compound, and disabled each of them. He came back   
around to the east wall, and using a grappling hook he had in his pack, climbed the   
the wall with ease, and made his way to the main house.

* * *

The floorplan the intruder had studied indicated that his victim's bedroom was at the  
top of the stairs. He carefully crept across the floor and slowly up the stairs. 

At the top of the stairs, he found a small white dog sound asleep in front of a  
closed door.

He had been told that the dog posed no challenge, so he turned the door handle,  
stepped over the sleeping canine, and carefully creeped into the bedroom. At the   
center of the room was the target he was seeking. He noted a middle aged man   
sleeping in the middle of a massive bed.

Looking the sleeping man over, his description matched the one that the inruder was   
given for the intended victim.

The intruder stood at the edge of the bed, and unsheathed his sword. He raised it   
over his head, ready to finish the first part of his mission.  
  
It was then a ball of white fur pounced on the intruder with a joyful bark. Taken by   
surprise, the intruder stumbled and fell to the ground.  
  
He was none to pleased, and attempted to push the dog off of him.

"Get off of me, mutt," his voice was low and menacing.  
  
But the dog would have none of that. Continuing the happy barking,  
the dog grabbed hold of the intruder's hood, and pulled it off.

* * *

Dr. Benton Quest was by no means a sound sleeper, but it took a few moments for   
his sleep-fogged brain to register that he wasn't alone in his bedroom. Waking quickly,  
he scrambled out of bed, taking in the scene of Bandit tugging at an intuder. He madly   
scrambled for the pistol beside his bed, switched off the safety, and aimed for the intruder.  
  
However, his frustration mounted when he couldn't get a clear shot, for Bandit   
continued to pounce on the intruder. 

"Bandit!! Get away from him!" Dr. Quest commanded. However, the effect he got   
wasn't quite what he expected.

Dr. Quest looked on in amazement as he saw the intruder stiffen almost in reply to  
the command he gave Bandit. Seeing an opportunity, he rushed toward the intruder,  
but was met with a fist to the jaw. Stars danced in front of his eyes as he staggered   
back.

As his vision cleared, Dr. Quest heard the smashing of his bedroom window. He   
massaged his jaw, and being mindful of the broken glass, stepped carefully to the   
window and looked out across the compound.

He could see no sign of the intruder. Walking over to a control panel near the light  
switch, he flicked a button.

He spoke quicky. "IRIS...location of intruder."  
  
The computer's monotone reply was precious minutes in coming. "Intruder has left house   
and escaped over east wall."  
  
He walked back over to the scene of the struggle and kneeling, Dr. Quest picked up   
the hood that the intruder used. He turned it inside and out, looking for clues, and managed  
to spot a couple of blond hairs caught in one of the seams.  
  
Bandit carefully walked over and sat down besde him, giving him a quizzical look.   
"Well, Bandit, it seems our assasin left a calling card," he mused as he stroked the   
dog's hair, "but why did you want to play with him?"   
  
Dr. Quest got to his feet, donned a dressing gown from a nearby hook, and made the   
journey into the main living room. He took a seat at the edge of a large table,  
and pressed a few controls that were inset into the wood. A small compartment  
slid open.  
  
When he had first located his laboratory here in Maine, he set to work developing   
a computer system that would respond to his smallest command, and thus IRIS was  
born.  
  
He extracted one of the hairs from the hood, placed it inside, and the compartment   
slid closed.   
  
-_I usually like to extrapolate DNA myself, but I would like to know who is trying   
to kill me._-

Dr. Quest touched more controls on the table.  
  
"IRIS, extrapolate DNA, and compare with known database archives," he commanded   
the computer. After another thought, he added, "Also implement security percaution   
level 2."  
  
"Understood," came the monotone feminine voice from the computer.  
  
Yawning, Dr. Quest got to his feet, and turned to go back to bed. The level 2 security   
protocol would lock down the compound enough to get a good night's sleep. Usually   
if IRIS had to search all of the available DNA databases, it took most of the night.   
  
A completion tone issued from IRIS, and he turned in some surprise.  
  
"That was quick, IRIS. Display results on monitor one."  
  
Dr. Quest turned to the far wall as it switched on- and promptly staggered back.   
  
-_It can't be_-  
  
"IRIS," his voice has half astonishment, half anger. "Enough with the jokes."  
  
"DNA study completed," came IRIS's curt reply, "sample matches 99.9% with subject   
on file."  
  
Dr. Quest felt the blood drain from his face. -_Oh My God_-   
  
Numbmess washed over him. His last question would erase any doubt in his mind,   
but he was afraid to ask it. So many years of heartache...but he had to find out.  
  
"Probability DNA has been cloned?" he choked out.   
  
There was a pause before IRIS replied, "Probability of cloning: 10.654%. Age of   
sample and genetic markers inidcate that this sample is legitimate."  
  
He hung his head, completly overwhelmed. Years of grief came back to the surface   
in an instant. If what he was seeing was true-  
  
Spurred into action, Dr. Quest dropped back into the seat at the edge of the   
table and adjusted a few controls.  
  
"IRIS, Priority One. Locate Roger "Race" Bannon."  
  
------------------------------------------------------------  
  
_Well this was a spur of the moment idea that is growing like crazy.  
If all goes well, another chapter will come in the next week or so, because  
there is also a small matter of a FF X-2 fic that needs finishing._

_Till Later,  
Time Guardian_


	2. Old Friends, Bitter Past

**_Manipulation  
_**by Time Guardian  
  
Chapter Two - _**Old friends, Bitter Past**_   
_Bannon Home - Denver, Colorado  
_  
The beeping wouldn't stop.  
  
Jessie Bannon moaned, and covered her head with a pillow.  
  
She knew it wasn't the alarm clock...the beeping was too short and high pitched. With a groan, she sat straight up in bed, and looked out of her bedroom window into the darkness.  
  
_-It's still the middle of the night. What's going on here?-_  
  
Jessie got to her feet, and quietly made her way downstairs. Listening carefully, she followed the sound to a closed door at the end of the hallway.  
  
It was a room that her father had forbidden her to go into.  
  
She ran a hand through her long fiery-red hair, and pondered her options. Her dad tended to be a light sleeper, but he had come home tonight exhausted after tracking down a criminal for a local bounty hunter.  
  
_-He's not awake, and it's been ten minutes already. If I don't shut that noise off, I am not gonna get any sleep.-  
_  
Jessie placed a hand on the knob and turned it slowly. The door yielded with little noise, and she carefully stepped inside.  
  
The room was illuminated by moonlight from a nearby window, allowing Jessie to see well enough without turning on the light. She noticed gadgets of all sorts filling the room's shelves, and the walls were flanked with pictures of her dad's time spent with the US government.  
  
Jessie stopped short in front of the desk against the wall. She spotted what looked like a small square PDA. A status light on the side of the unit was flashing in time to the beeping.  
  
Picking it up, she pressed a button on the side of the Unit. The small screen lit instantly, showing a face she hadn't seen in some time.  
  
"Dr. Quest?"  
  
He had aged considerably since she had visited his lab long ago, but she recognized him easily.  
  
He smiled faintly, "Jessie, it is good to see you. Is your dad around?"  
  
Jessie got to her feet. "I dunno. He was out on a case for most of the night, and just got home two hours ago. I'll go check and-"  
  
"No need, I am right here."  
  
Jessie jumped at the sound of her father's voice. She turned around and started apologizing profusely.  
  
"I'm sorry dad, the beeping of your unit was keeping me awake and I just came down to shut it off and-"  
  
"It's all right, Jess," he said quietly, taking the device out of her hand, "would you leave the room for a bit? I need to talk to Dr. Quest alone."  
  
Jessie hadn't seen her father so ill at ease in the longest time, but reluctantly she left the room, closing the door behind her.  
  
After Race made sure that she shut the door, he sat down and turned back to  
the face showing on his communication screen. "It's been a long time, Benton."  
  
He saw the image of his friend nod in reply. "It has."  
  
Race noticed that the doctor was pale, but excited. "Well, are you going to tell me why you called me at one in the morning?"  
  
"He's alive, Race."  
  
He groaned in reply. They have had this conversation more than once, and it was starting to get thin. "Benton, don't do thi-"  
  
Race was cut off by Dr. Quest's angry words. "Hear me out. I was attacked tonight in my bedroom by a ninja-style assassin. Luckily, Bandit kept him busy long enough, or I would probably be without a head right now. In all the chaos, the intruder's hood came off, and he chose to make his escape. I didn't get a good look at his face, but I discovered a few hairs trapped in the hood. DNA analysis shows that they are a perfect match for my son. The age and the markers in the sample indicate that this is no clone."  
  
Race's eyes widened. After all of these years... "There was an investigation. They found an 11 yr cold's remains in the explosion. For God sakes, Benton, the investigation was handled by the FBI and the agency."  
  
"Yes, and it was an investigation we were both shut out of, remember?" Doctor Quest retorted.  
  
"That's to be expected, 'cause we were too close to the victim," Race shot back. He noticed the Doctor cringe at the description and calmed his voice. "I'm sorry. Is the DNA evidence the only thing you have?"  
  
"Bandit. He recognized him, Race. At first when I woke up I thought the dog was attacking the intruder, but he must have recognized Jonny's scent. The barks that I heard from him were not ones of danger, but of joy," he replied with eagerness Race hadn't heard in some time.  
  
Race stared at the communicator screen in astonishment. He knew the dog easily recognized friend from foe, but after five years?  
  
He sighed before speaking again. "I have to admit that is pretty compelling evidence. So, say for the sake of argument Jonny was kidnapped."  
  
The doctor nodded, "Go on."  
  
"To keep this quiet, the perp would have had to have someone on the inside, because Palm Key was always kept locked down tighter than Fort Knox most days, thanks to your surveillance equipment," Race finished. "Is that what you are thinking?"  
  
Dr. Quest gave another nod. "Yes. It's not totally out of the question. We have seen some fine people corrupted before, and sadly it won't be the last time either."  
  
Race's voice was tinged with anger. "The agency was clean, Benton. Those were the finest fellow agents that I ever had the pleasure of working with."  
  
"Why did you leave them then, Race? They cleared you of any wrongdoing-I know you did nothing wrong."  
  
Race looked down and noticed his trembling hands. "But I was at fault. The reason I slept through that explosion was because of that sleep dart. Hell, you are the one that discovered it in the sand next to my beach chair. If I had only been awake to see where he was going-"  
  
"IT WASN'T YOUR FAULT," Doctor Quest stressed, "The investigators did discover that it was fired from a considerable distance with a high powered rifle. There was no way to have known."  
  
Race cleared his mind, and focused on his breathing, until he was able to still his hands. He waited a few more moments before asking.  
  
"I failed you, and you want me back?"  
  
"Please Race, I'm not above begging, but I know you are the man for the job, and I can think no one better to put my trust in right now. I have followed your career as a bounty hunter for the past four years, and know you have kept your skills sharp. You also have knowledge of the men that were investigating the case at that time. Hadji won't be home from the University in India for quite some time. I can have a plane at the Denver airport in two hours. So what do you say, old friend?" Dr. Quest urged.  
  
Race paused, then stated with determination, "Send your plane, Benton. I'll help you get your son back, and that's a promise."  
  
A distinct young feminine voice piped up from behind him. "You mean WE, dontcha dad?"  
  
Race didn't even bother turning around. He figured Jessie couldn't resist listening in. "Jess-"  
  
The doctor smiled. "Jessie is welcome to come, of course." Race then saw the Doctor's face grow solemn. "Race, thank you for believing in me."  
  
The communicator then blinked off.  
  
Race stood and turned to face his daughter. "Better get packed, Jess. Our plane will be here in two hours."  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
_My apologies for the confusion. I have updated the summary to reflect better  
where this story is going. I didn't do it for the first chapter, cause I wanted to have  
a bit of mystery and- I was still shaping the idea. ;)  
  
Well this idea has grown some more...hmmm. And I got a little ahead of myself. A second chapter within 4 days is a new record for me. I'm still sticking with a week to two week schedule for my chapters, cause of real life and other fanfics that I need to finish. :)_  
  
Hope you enjoy, and till later,  
  
Time Guardian


	3. A Question of Loyalty

_**Manipulation  
**by Time Guardian  
_  
Chapter 3 - **_A Question of Loyalty_**  
_Somewhere in Maine_-  
  
The solitary figure ran through the night. His conditioning allowed him  
to run great distances at a time, and on some nights it came in handy.  
He was trying to quiet the frenzied thoughts that ran through his his head.  
  
_-Why couldn't I kill him? That name he used. It was so familiar, and  
somehow I knew it was for the dog. How can this be?-  
_  
He broke into a sprint once he was in sight of the hotel.  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
His room was on the top corner of the top floor. He always had a habit of  
picking that particular room whenever he stayed somewhere. It usually made   
him feel safe, and he could usually see an enemy coming from miles around.  
  
Opening the door, he entered the room. The furnishings were few, but he   
didn't want to attract attention by staying at a nationally known hotel.  
  
He sat down at the desk in the corner and took out a laptop from his backpack.   
Placing it on the desk, he quickly powered it on and tapped out a series of  
commands. In response, a communication window opened and a shadowy figure  
appeared.  
  
The voice that issued from the speakers was grainy and distorted.  
  
"You are late. Report."  
  
He ran a hand through his blond hair nervously. The person he reported to  
never tolerated failure, especially from him. He had been trained,   
conditioned, and educated not to fail.  
  
He spoke quickly. "There was a dog in the house that distracted me. I- was  
unable to finish my task."   
  
The voice from the speakers became agitated.   
  
"That does not please me or Dr. Zin. We have both given you  
the best training that money can buy in order for you to help his research.  
In return, all he's asking for is for you to kill one man and steal his   
invention. Do you want to be sent back to him as a failure? He loves you like   
a son, but I can assure you that your punishment will be harsh."  
  
He cringed, remembering the times he had been punished before.   
  
"No. I don't want to disappoint him. I can carry out this mission."   
  
He could hear the tapping of keys in the background as the voice replied, "Well,   
luckily we have some time before Dr. Zin activates phase two of his plan. You   
will have another opportunity to finish your mission over the next few days.   
There is a local high school in the area I would like for you to go to under the  
guise of a normal high school student named Zach Alexander. Dr. Quest is due  
to lecture there in two days time, so I want you to mingle and survey the site."  
  
"Yeah, I can do that," he replied absently. He kept playing back the   
whole incident in his head, questions still rolling around in his mind.  
  
The voice took on a harsh tone, snapping him back to the present.  
  
"Do not fail me again. Dr. Quest is an enemy that can stop my   
plans and take you away from me, do you want that?"   
  
He shuddered in reply.  
  
"No. I will not fail you again, father. When the time is right,  
I WILL kill Dr. Quest."  
  
He shut the connection down and closed his laptop.  
  
Laying down on the bed, he breathed a sigh and thought   
about the encounter he had with Dr. Quest. His mission was clear,  
but for some reason he still couldn't get that encounter out of his  
mind. However, the events of the night caught up with him. His eyelids  
drooped, and soon was fast asleep.  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
_Next Morning-  
Quest Compound-_  
  
Race came downstairs after showering to find his daughter standing behind  
Dr. Quest in the main living room. He was seated at the main table intensly   
focusing on the contents of a computer screen in front of him.  
  
"Whats got your interest, Benton?"  
  
Dr. Quest looked up from the screen. "Im using a program I borrowed with   
the permission of a forensic artist friend of mine. It ages children's pictures  
based on input of attributes from the parents."  
  
"He's already scanned in pictures of Jonny, Himself, and Jonny's mother,"   
Jessie piped up.   
  
"Now I just need to make a few adjustments."  
  
Dr. Quest typed in calculation after calculation, and soon a 3-d image appeared  
on the screen. It held the basic contours of a face, but lacked features. To   
the side of the image, the program offered three different options for each facial   
feature, including the hair.  
  
"The program offered me these options based on the attributes of the photos  
I scanned into it," he thought out loud, quickly tapping in some options, "now  
if I remember right, my friend told me to type in this command and-"  
  
He pressed the final button in the series. The program sprang to life,  
trying different facial feature combinations until the program stopped.  
  
"viola."  
  
Race came over behind the two of them to take a look at the screen. The face   
that stared back at them was complete, and with the exception of the blond hair,  
bore a striking resemblance to Dr. Quest.  
  
"Uncanny, isn't it?" Dr. Quest quietly asked.  
  
"Yeah," Race replied as he took a seat beside Benton, "now that we have an idea  
of what he may look like, we will need a plan."  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
_So, the plans are starting to form. ;) Find out their plans in the next chapter.  
  
Till next time,  
  
Time Guardian _


	4. Old Wounds

**_Manipulation  
_**by Time Guardian

Chapter 4 - **_Old wounds_**

When Race left the Reagan National airport later that afternoon, he rented  
a car and quickly made his way to the marble and stone building that was  
Intelligence-one headquarters.

He felt a pang of nostalgia as he entered the building. It had been  
five years since he had set foot in the building, but not much had  
changed.

After being buzzed through lobby security, he went into the heart of the  
building. The maze of cubicles was still there, along with the greenery  
draped across each one. The higher ups always claimed it gave the office  
atmosphere, when actually all it did was set off the allergies of about  
half a dozen agents.

Race reached the elevator, and punched the button for the top floor.  
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Phil Corvin leaned back in his leather chair and stared at the ceiling  
in his office for the tneth time in as many hours. Becoming the new head  
of I-one had its perks, but waiting for feedback from the  
critical missions had to rank as one of the most nerve-wracking parts  
of the job.

The buzzing of the intercom broke him out of his reverie. He sat up and  
flicked a switch near his desk. "Yes?"

"Race Bannon to see you, sir," his secretary announced from the intercom,  
"Should I send him in?"

"Go ahead."

Corvin looked up as his door opened, and a familiar person came into the  
room.

"Race, good to see you. Take a seat."  
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Race stepped into the massive office, and could barely hold back his  
surprise.

His sources had told him that Phil had done well, but judging by the  
wood paneling, exotic plants, and the Mahogany desk, Phil was doing  
very well.

He took a seat in the cushioned chair that Phil indicated.

"So, Race, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" Corvin asked  
lightly, "has one of your bounties done something that merits I-one's  
attention?"

Race crossed his arms, "I think you know why I am here, Corvin."

"Has your time away from us made you lose all of your charm, Bannon?"  
he replied mildly.

"Not when I think the investigation into Jonathon Quest's death was  
mishandled," Race stated cooly. From his pocket, he extracted a data  
disc and handed it ot him. "Doctor Quest has recieved new evidence  
indicating that he is alive."

"I can assure you all avenue's were considered and explored that were  
concerning young Quest's demise. We even had the dart that hit you  
analyzed, but nothing panned out," Corvin replied, pocketing the  
disc. "But I'll have our boys give this a once over as a favor to  
you."

Race bit back a retort. He knew to expect a chilly reception, but  
at this rate he felt like he would freeze to death.

"So how's life as the boss?" Race asked idly.

"It has it's ups and downs," he replied simply, "How bout you? The life of a  
bounty hunter exciting?"

Race shrugged. "It pays the bills."

Corvin leaned across the desk at him. "Come back to us, Bannon. We never  
blamed you for 'that incident', and besides, we could use all of the manpower  
we can get."

Race flinched in anger. To have an event like that reduced to 'that incident'-  
  
He stood, then leaned over until he was mere inches from Corvin. "No can do,  
Corvin. I made a promise to a friend that I intend to keep. I will get to the  
bottom of 'that incident,' and right now that is my only priority."

"That didn't seem to be your priority five years ago when you quit, Bannon,"  
Corvin quietly replied.

Race fought to keep his temper in check. "Things change. What about Dr. Quest,  
Corvin? I noticed he doesn't seem to be a priority anymore."

"Not my call, Bannon. The higher-ups got tired of him coming to us constantly  
over the past five years begging us to reopen his son's case. We still keep  
an eye on him every so often to make sure his work isn't being affected."

That did it. Race grabbed the front of Corvin's shirt and pulled him forward.

"For your information, someone tried to assassinate Dr. Quest last night, and  
all you stuffed shirts seem to care about is whether or not he is making the  
latest war toy for you guys!"

Phil Corvin stared at him in stony silence until it was broken by the ringing  
of his office phone.

His voice was cold and even. "Race, I have to get that if you don't mind. Now  
get out before I have you thrown out."

"We will be in touch," Race replied simply. He released his hold on Corvin's  
shirt, then walked out of his office and slammed the door.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

More revealed, but I'm not ready to give away everything yet. ;)

Till later!

Time Guardian


	5. Discoveries

**_Manipulation  
_**by Time Guardian  
  
Chapter 5- **_Discoveries_**  
  
Quest Compound  
-next afternoon-  
  
"I'm coming home."  
  
Dr. Quest sighed. He had phoned his adopted son, Hadji Singh, to tell him what they had discovered about Jonny, and he insisted on coming home right away.  
  
"I'd rather you didn't son," he replied with worry in his voice, "I had a close shave, and besides, we don't know what Jonny has been through yet. He could just as easily come back and try and kill you too."  
  
"Classes have ended here. I was going to use the free time to visit my friends at the university before I came home, but this is more important," Hadji stated, "and you cannot talk me out of it. I want to help, and as it is said, two heads are better than one."  
  
Dr. Quest laughed, "Try four. Race has agreed to help and brought his daughter Jessie along."  
  
"You talked Race into coming back?" Hadji replied in astonishment. "This is momentous indeed. I will be on the first available plane and will call you when I arrive."  
  
Dr. Quest heard the click at the end of the line, and put the phone back in it's cradle. Immediately, the phone rang, and he picked the receiver back up.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"It's Jessie, Dr. Quest. They let me have a study hall period, so I thought I'd check in."  
  
"Our plans so far are coming together nicely. Hadji will be home in the next few hours, against my better wishes, but at least he will be safe here. How about you, were you able to reach your dad?" Dr. Quest asked.  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Jessie leaned against the phone booth near the cafeteria. "I called him just before I called you. He is in the air and on his way back now."  
  
She heard Dr. Quest pause for a moment. "I promised Mr. Andrews at your high school that I would come to give a lecture to his class in the next day or so. He wanted to meet this afternoon to plan it out, so I'll be on campus in an hour. If you'd like, you can ride with me after school to pick up Race, and knowing Hadji, he should also be in soon as well."  
  
"That'll be good...but is there any way I can go ahead and go now? Dad talked them into enrolling me in Latin of all things. That's the deadest language around and-,"Jessie complained.  
  
She was cut off by laughter on the other end of the line.  
  
"Your father told me you'd try something this, Jessie. Nothing doing. Go to class and I will see you later."  
  
"Figures," she groaned, placing the receiver back on the cradle, then broke into a run when the next class bell sounded.  
  
-Two hours later-  
  
Dr. Quest heard the last bell of the day, and went back to his car to wait for Jessie. His meeting with Mr. Andrews had been productive, and he had gathered many ideas on index cards to use in his presentation.  
  
He had just finished stuffing the cards into his pocket, when he spotted Jessie rushing out of the building and quickly got into his car.  
  
Before he could ask about her day, she took a laptop out of her pack and held it out for his inspection.  
  
"Let's go," she said hurriedly.  
  
Dr. Quest was shocked, because he knew that this wasn't Jessie's laptop.  
"Where did you get this from?"  
  
"I'll explain when we pick up the others, but I think this'll give us a line on Jonny," she explained.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The chase is on. More next time, promise. ();)


	6. Schemes

**Manipulation**  
by Time Guardian  
  
Chapter 6 - **_Schemes  
_**  
-Airport Cafe-  
  
Race Bannon was not in a good mood to begin with, so when he had arrived at the airport in Maine only to have learned that Jessie grabbed potential evidence, he nearly lost it.  
  
He followed his daughter and Dr. Quest to a small cafe area just off of the main terminal. They were waiting for Hadji's plane to arrive, but there were more pressing matters on his mind.  
  
"You are grounded until you are 21," he growled as they sat down.  
  
Jessie groaned, "Dad, at least let me explain."  
  
Race's hands started to tremble, so he took a quick deep breath to calm himself before he continued. "Jess, you are my life and my number one treasure. Because of me, Jonny was lost to us, and I don't want to lose you too."  
  
He felt a hand on his arm. "Race, Jessie is all right and here with us now.  
Let's let her explain."  
  
Race fell silent for a moment, then sighed. "Go ahead Jess."  
  
Jessie gave her father a worried glance, then started recounting what happened.  
  
"As I was leaving my last class, the teacher asked me to take some paper work to the admin offices. I went and started talking to the secretary,  
and that's when I saw him."  
  
Dr. Quest was taken aback. "Jonny? You saw him? Are you sure?"  
  
"He was an extremely close match to picture you generated from that software,"  
Jessie replied, "Anyway, he was in the principal's office talking to him. I couldn't catch much of the conversation, but I noticed an open backpack propped against the door. I asked the secretary, and she verified that it belonged to the new student in the Principal's office. When she had her back turned, I took a quick look inside the bag and spotted the laptop. I made a split second decision, made sure no one was looking, and that's how come I have it."  
  
Dr. Quest shook his head in amazement. "I appreciate your eagerness to help, Jessie, but your father is right. What you did was very dangerous. If he knows that we are onto him-"  
  
The airport announcements came on before Dr. Quest could finish his thought.  
  
"Flight 24 from Bombay has arrived at gate 2."  
  
Race got to his feet. "Come on, you two. Let's pick up Hadji and get back. We'll finish our conversation and punishment arrangements then."  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Dr. Zin sat in his mountaintop hideaway and surveyed his surroundings. It wasn't easy getting into the United States, but with the right officials on his payroll and a disguise, he was able to get through with minimal effort.  
  
His contact had set up the place so he could be close at hand when his plan was executed.  
  
The technology Dr. Quest developed could easily be adapted to carrying out cyber attacks, plundering the worlds markets and crippling their defenses. His trained assassin will kill the doctor, and steal the technology for him-and who better to be the assassin than the Doctor's son?  
  
He turned to a nearby console. After adjusting a few settings, a section of wall slid open, revealing a communications screen showing a familiar face.  
  
"Dr. Zin! It is a pleasure. I trust you found the accommodations appealing?"  
  
"They are adequate," Zin conceded, "I wish to check the progress of our operation. When will our assassin complete his task?"  
  
"He has infiltrated a local high school where the doctor is planning to give a lecture soon. He will kill him then, and secure the technology for your use," came the reply.  
  
"Excellent. Have you had to use anymore of the drug on him?"  
  
"No sir, for the last few months, he has proven himself totally loyal to us, so the drug has proven unnecessary. He has even stopped asking about his name."  
  
Dr. Zin smiled at the screen. "He has no identity and is completely bent to our will. Everything is falling into place. Keep me informed." -  
"Yes sir."  
  
The man closed his communication screen when Dr. Zin's image disappeared.  
  
The man had invested a lot of time in Jonny Quest. He had put the boy through training that most men don't go through until they are much older.  
  
Combat scenarios, martial arts, endurance training, sensory depravation, it had all been necessary to break him, to make Jonny totally reliant on him and him alone, and ready him for the mission at hand. As a master stroke, he even conditioned the boy to call him father. -If Dr. Quest only knew...-  
  
Everything was being manipulated as planned. Once the plan plays out, the man would finally be able to fulfill Zin's purpose and gain his freedom.  
  
Now all he could do was wait on Jonny.


	7. Strategies

**_Manipulation_**  
by Time Guardian  
  
Chapter 7 - **_Strategies _**  
-Quest Compound-  
  
When they reached the compound later that evening, Hadji and Jessie went to the main house while Race followed Dr. Quest into the lighthouse.  
  
Race whistled in appreciation when they reached the top of the lighthouse. What advancements he had seen from the doctor at Palm Key were surpassed here easily.  
  
"You have been busy. The computer equipment you have here makes the lab you had in Palm Key look like a kid's toy box."  
  
Dr. Quest placed the laptop on one of the wooden work tables and took a seat to the side as Race sat down in front of the unit. He powered on the laptop and tried a typing in a few commands before sliding the unit over to Dr. Quest in frustration.  
  
"Impressive security. Password and encryption protection all the way around. It'll probably take a couple of hours for us to crack."  
  
Dr. Quest sighed, pointing to a nearby computer panel. "We better get started then. Hook the laptop up to that interface on the panel and we will let my computer have a go at it."

* * *

Hadji came downstairs after showering and changing into his favorite pair of jeans and a black t-shirt. He tied his long black hair back to allow it to dry, then went into the living room.  
  
He noticed Jessie sitting on the main sofa, taking in what looked like a black and white detective movie on the big screen television. The movie looked to be nearly over.  
  
Not wanting to disturb her, Hadji took a seat in a nearby armchair. The flight from Bombay had been frantic and exhausting. If it were not for Pasha and the favors he pulled in order to get him on that flight, Hadji doubted that he would even be sitting here now.  
  
From what his father had told him on the way home, it would probably take some time to crack the security on the laptop. He settled back and closed his eyes, intent on catching some sleep.  
  
"What happened that day, Hadji?"

* * *

Race monitored the decryption process while Dr. Quest worked with some equipment in the far corner to pass the time.  
  
After a half hour had passed, Race got to his feet and stretched. He noticed that Dr. Quest was still working on the same equipment.  
  
"So What's the big project your working on this time, Benton?"  
  
Dr. Quest looked up from his work. "A fully interactive virtual reality world that will allow us to work from within the computer. We will be able to conduct experiments in VR that are normally deemed dangerous in-  
  
A loud beep from the computer interrupted him.  
  
"Hmm, IRIS must have made some progress. Status of decryption IRIS?"  
  
The smooth computer voice was quick to reply. "Level one decryption complete. Thirty percent of data now accessible. Shall I continue with Level two decryption?"  
  
"Yes IRIS, also go ahead and show us the data decrypted thus far."  
  
A panel inset into the counter slid back revealing a computer touch screen.  
  
"Now let see what we here," Race mused as line after line of data came across the screen, "Looks like we got the email for the past week or so."  
  
"Well at least we can get a trace off the IP addresses in the headers, but that usually takes time, especially if they do not want to be found. There's quite a few emails here and they look to be from the same source."  
  
Dr. Quest started reading one of them, but when he finished his eyes grew cold.  
  
Race noticed the change and leaned closer to the screen. "What is it?"  
  
"Listen to this: 'Project progress excellent. Dr. Zin sends his compliments. New training regiment attached to this message. Keep up the good work. Father'

* * *

Hadji opened his eyes to find Jessie staring at him.  
  
"What happened the day Jonny went missing? Dad refuses to speak about it and since I only got to visit you guys only once, I barely even remember him now."  
  
"That is a day that I will never forget. Simply put, we were all distracted in one way or another, and someone took advantage of our distraction. Your father refuses to discuss it because he was incapacitated during the whole event and he feels like it was his fault."  
  
Hadji could hear the disbelief in her voice. "How could he? No one saw this coming right?"  
  
"We-were always at risk. I-1 agents kept a pretty tight hold over the lab in Palm Key. Dr. Quest discovered that Race was hit by a sleep dart , but instead of looking at this evidence, they discounted it, and made Race feel like he failed."  
  
Hadji realized how bitter his voice sounded. He sat up straight and watched Jessie go over to the window and look out at the lighthouse in the distance.  
  
He sighed. His tiredness allowed emotion to creep into his thoughts. "I miss him. We became fast friends the day we met in India. When Jonny was thought to have died, Dr. Quest sent me to school in India to keep me safe. I wanted to stay, but he told me that he didn't want to lose another son. I was so mad... he didn't realize that I was hurting too. I had just lost my brother after all."  
  
Jessie looked back at Hadji. "With both of our dad's working together, they'll get him back. You'll see."

* * *

"Zin. I can't believe he would turn my own son against me. and it looks like he has help from someone calling himself 'father.'"  
  
Dr. Quest shivered. He walked towards a window at the far side of the lab to look out the window. Outside, the turbulent ocean seemed as chaotic as his thoughts.  
He thought once he knew who his opponent was, things would fall into place but instead, it only fueled his feelings of helplessness. The brainwashing his son must have went through for five long years-  
  
Race's voice broke through his thoughts. "Benton, whoever set this up has put Jonny through the ringer. I just peeked at his training schedule and the stuff they are having him do would break most rookie agents in their first year at I-1. It's brainwashing pure and simple. Zin wants you dead for a reason, so we need a plan."  
  
He turned around. "I promised my friend that I would lecture at the school, and that's what I am going to do-"  
  
"but-"  
  
Dr Quest held up a hand. "Let me finish. I want ALL of us there. Since Jessie spotted Jonny on campus, I know that is where he will try to strike at me next. I have a feeling whatever brainwashing Jonny has been through is not 100%, and if we can jar enough memories, maybe we can get him back. If what we are seeing here is true, Zin is going to be watching things from a distance while his man does the dirty work. If we muck up his plans, the last player in this drama should show up."  
  
"That's a mighty big gamble."  
  
"I'd like to call it instinct mixed in with a gut reaction. Race, you didn't see him jolt with recognition when I called out Bandit's name that night."  
  
"You were also dodging a sword to your head."  
  
Dr. Quest nodded ruefully. "True, though I believe this is the right track for us. We better get some sleep. I want to get there early tomorrow to prepare for trouble just in case."  
  
He shut the laptop down, and they both exited the lab.

* * *

Jessie looked out the window, and noticed the light in the lighthouse had been turned off.  
  
"Looks like our dads are done. Think we should press for details?"  
  
Hadji stretched, got to his feet, and headed for the stairs.  
  
"It is very late now, and if we are to be prepared for Jonny, we need to have all of our senses on alert. According to Dr. Quest, he has proven to be quite the assassin. I do not want to 'lose my head' before we try and un-brainwash him."  
  
She gave a wry smile. "Point taken. Night Hadji."

* * *

Let the showdown begin...and find out the identity of "Father" - next time.  
  
-ties muse to chair- I dare you to escape again! Muwhahahahaha!!!  
  
Muse: --;; help???  
  
Till next time,  
  
Time Guardian 


	8. Cold Betrayl

**_Manipulation  
_**by Time Guardian

_Chapter 8 - **Cold Betrayal

* * *

**_He ran.

Shivering with cold, he ran along the dark metal corridors, twisting  
and turning along with every bend.

There just had to be a chance for escape. The alternative was  
unthinkable.

He turned the final bend that led to freedom, and that's when he ran  
into trouble.

Terror and revulsion threatened to overwhelm him, as hands grabbed at  
him, pushing and holding him to the ground. Voices came from all around,  
threatening to drown him in a sea of noise.

"Hold him down!"

"This is the third time he's evaded his normal medicine schedule."

"That won't affect the process will it?"

The needle prick came soon after. He wiggled, squirmed and screamed  
for many minutes until his perception grew hazy. His reasons for wanting  
freedom were slowly slipping from his mind.

He struggled to hold onto his identity...the only thing he had left.

Ever since they had brought him here, forcing him through physical  
stuff that Race wouldn't even make him do, he held onto the last piece of info  
that made him who he was.

"I am Jonny Quest- I am-"

The voices surrounded him again.

"You are who we say you are."

"You are an assassin for Dr. Zin."

"You will follow orders."

Jonny's voice sounded distant and mechanical, even to himself.

"I will follow orders."

* * *

"NOOOO!!!"

He sat up straight in bed, sweat dripping heavily off of his brow.

The nightmares were coming regularly since he took this mission, but  
the most frustrating thing was that he could barely remember them once he  
woke up. At the same time, he could barely remember his early days with Zin  
and the training he went through. Every time he tried, he hit upon a painful  
haze inside his head that threatened to pound his head into oblivion.

He checked the watch on his arm.

-8:15-Damn, I'm gonna be late for school.-

He jumped out of bed. Grabbing at a pair of black jeans and t-shirt he had  
laid across the chair, he quickly dressed and scrubbed his face at the sink.  
There was a job to do, and he didn't want to let his father down. He almost  
called him in a panic yesterday when he discovered his laptop missing from his  
bag at school, but was afraid that his father would take this news as a failure  
and punish him.

He couldn't fail...not after all the work and training that he was put through.

Quickly, he put on his shoes, and then checked his backpack. From what he had gathered  
through his interview with the principal yesterday, the school's security procedures  
were minimal at best.

Before he went to sleep last night, he chose his weapons carefully. Packed in-between  
his science and English textbooks were a dagger in a sheath and a pistol with a scope  
and silencer.

The lecture would be the last class of the day. Plenty of time to psych himself  
up and prepare.

He zipped up his backpack and rushed out of the door.  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Race went in to the living room to check on Dr. Quest when he heard the  
familiar opening of Moonlight Sonata emanate from the cell phone on his belt.

He unclipped the phone and quickly answered it. "Bannon here."

"Dad, he's on campus."

"Are you sure?"

"One hundred percent. I saw him going into his English class."

"Good girl. when it comes time for the lecture I want you to take a position  
off to the side of the auditorium and watch the people going in. We will set  
you up with one of Dr. Quest's micro-communicators so we can keep in touch. I  
have a feeling Jonny may sneak in, but it can't hurt to try for a little warning."

"Ok, Dad."

"And promise me, no matter what happens, you will not leave that spot."

"Da-"

"This is going to be dangerous, Jessie. We don't need to give Jonny any chances  
to take any hostages. Until we can determine the extent of his brainwashing, we  
are going to have to treat him as an enemy. Understood?"

He could hear the frustration in his daughter's voice. "I got it, Dad. I better go  
or I am going to be late for class."

When he heard her hang up the phone, Race closed his cell phone and clipped it  
back on his belt.

Race found Dr. Quest sitting in the corner of the living room, reading what looked  
like a large medical text. He looked up at him in anticipation. "Well?"

Race sighed. "Jessie spotted him. Look, Benton, are you sure we are ready for this?  
I mean he could very well mow us down where we stand before we even get within  
spitting distance of him."

"I have a plan that should buy us enough time to get close. Hadji is gathering the  
computer equipment that we need, and we should be able to leave soon."  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The man stepped into an awaiting private jet, and took a seat in the passenger  
area. Strapping in, he flicked a speaker switch beside his seat.

"Take off immediately and head for Maine."

"Yes Sir."

He flicked the switch back off, and settled back. By his calculations, he would  
arrive just before Jonny finishes his task. Then they both could-

The cell phone in his pocket buzzed harshly against his skin. Taking it out, he  
quickly pressed the talk button.

"Hello?"

Dr. Zin's angry voice grated against his ears. "I do not like being kept in the dark.  
I have checked up on our young friend and have found the signal from the laptop we  
gave him is coming from the Quest compound."

The man expelled an uneven breath. Pressing a few buttons on his phone, he activated  
a GPS tracker. After a few moments and some calculations, he verified what Dr. Zin  
already knew.

He nervously put the phone back to his ear. "Sir- Dr. Zin, I am in the air right  
now and heading towards Maine. It should be an hour or two, tops. I will take care  
of this."

"I know you will, because as your final mission for me, I want you to kill them both."

He felt time stop for precious moments before he finally replied. "Yes sir."

He hit the talk button to quickly sever the connection, then put the phone back in his  
pocket.

A brief moment of regret came to him at the thought of killing Jonny. He put in a lot  
of work and time putting the lad through intensive training. He even entertained thoughts  
of taking the boy along with him once the mission was over. However, if he wanted to  
be free from Dr. Zin's influence, he would have to follow orders one last time.

From the holster at his side, he drew out his weapon and checked it over thoroughly.

When the time came, he would be ready.  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was finally time for the lecture.

He had managed to sneak into the auditorium along with a group of students, keeping  
his head low and avoiding eye contact. Yesterday, he tried everything to get official  
permission, expressing every interest in science that he could, but the principal  
flatly refused, telling him the lecture was planned weeks in advance, and was  
already at capacity.

If anyone asked, he was simply here to retrieve his backpack that he left here  
during gym - which he had.

The auditorium was dark, almost pitch black. He noticed Dr. Quest already hard at  
work on the auditorium floor, explaining and displaying figures on a screen behind him.

He stayed low and near the top row of seats, crawling until he reached the far wall.

Feeling behind the last seat on that row, he dragged out his backpack and quietly  
unzipped it.

After securing the dagger at his side, he took out the pistol, and attached the scope  
and silencer. He knew once he took his shot, there would be chaos enough to secure his  
escape.  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Race crouched near the bottom row of seats, using heat sensitive goggles that Dr.  
Quest gave him. He was able to see many faint blue/green heat signatures from the  
students that had been here for class an hour ago, but so far nothing else.

Dr. Quest had ensured that the students that had signed up for the lecture were  
safely routed to a classroom, so there was no danger of hostages. Hadji was  
managing a computer hookup and the lighting controls for the auditorium. Race hadn't  
heard anything from Jessie, which meant that either Jonny didn't come or-

He suddenly heard a whistling sound, then a cry of pain.

Race whispered harshly into a micro-communicator clipped to his shirt.

"Benton! Are you all right?"

He heard a low groan in reply. "I'm ok, just got nicked on the arm from a gunshot.  
Look near the top row of seats, it came down from there."

Race turned his gaze upward to where Dr. Quest indicated. Sure enough, there was  
a hot spot, about the right size for a human being.

-There!-

He shouted into his communicator. "Hadji!! Lights!"

The auditorium lights blazed to life as Race quickly pocketed the goggles and  
rushed to where he had spotted the heat signature.

Nothing. Not a trace. He looked all around him before calling Jessie.

"Jess, has anyone gone out of the main auditorium doors in the last few min-"

Race didn't get to finish his sentence.

Jonny came at him from behind with a flying tackle that caused the two of them  
to tumble a few rows down. Race landed hard against the one of the seats and went  
down. Dazed, he didn't have time to react to Jonny swinging the butt of a pistol  
down hard against his head.

Pain clouded Race's senses as his vision blurred then faded to black.  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dr. Quest crouched low behind the projection screen. From what he could tell, the  
bullet had only struck a glancing blow off his arm, but it was bleeding badly.

He quickly tore a strip from the bottom of his shirt and bound his arm as the  
micro-communicator clipped to his shirt blared to life.

"Dad?? Dr. Quest?? Can anyone hear me?"

He spoke quickly and quietly. "Jessie, keep your position. we've got things taken  
care of."

"but-"

"You promised your father Jessie," he hissed into the communicator, "Stay  
there."

Dr. Quest stole a quick glance from behind the screen, and saw Jonny bring down  
a gun against Race's head.

-I've got to do something.-

Grabbing for a tranquilizer gun he had hidden near the screen, he stuffed it into  
his pants pocket and stepped from behind the screen.

"Don't hurt him!"

Jonny turned and stared at him. "If you don't want him hurt you will come to me  
with your hands in the air."

Dr. Quest did as he was told, stepping carefully towards him.

-I have to keep him talking.-

"Jonny...son. Please, you have to remember."

Jonny whipped the gun up and pointed it at him. "Why are calling me that? You don't  
know me."

"But I do," he replied, advancing closer, "you are my son, my flesh and blood-"

He thought he saw pain on Jonny's face, but it disappeared quickly under a mask of  
anger.

"You are not my father."

Dr. Quest stopped within mere inches of Jonny. He lowered his hands slowly, and  
went for the tranquilizer gun in his pocket.

"Oh no you don't!"

Jonny leapt at him and they both went down.

Dr. Quest was amazed at the power Jonny possessed. It took all of his strength to  
keep him at arms length.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

His frustration was building. He was so close to finishing his mission, and  
yet Dr. Quest was putting up a strong struggle.

Dropping his pistol, he managed to twist the Doctor's arm, making him cry out in pain  
and drop his weapon. By twisting and pulling around, he managed to hook an arm around  
Dr. Quest's neck and squeezed. The strength training he went through came in handy.

He felt Dr. Quest struggle in his grasp for many moments. Maintaining a tight hold of  
the Doctor's neck, he brought out the dagger from the sheath at his side.

"Time to finish the job."

A sound of footsteps interrupted his train of thought. Whipping his head up in surprise  
and recognition, he recognized the man who walked into the auditorium.

"Father? What are you doing here?"

His "father" replied with an icy coldness.

"I'm very disappointed in you, Jonny."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dr. Quest could only stare at the surreal scene in shock and anger.

"You bastard. How could you?"

Phil Corbin pulled out a gun and aimed it at him. "Don't look so surprised, Dr.  
Quest. I'm surprised you didn't figure it out sooner from the laptop you had  
stolen from him."  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Many apologies. Medical problems and a root canal (ouch) delyaed this chapter.  
Part two of this battle is coming soon. Sleep I need.

Till later,

Time Guardian


	9. Past Demons

(Note: made a small goof last chapter... I started off spelling Corvins name as Corvin in earlier chapter's , then I goof and spell it as Corbin in the last one. I have since returned to the Corvin spelling.)  
  
When last we left, things were in a mess, and the Quest men were staring into the barrel of a gun...  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------  
  
Dr. Quest could only stare at the surreal scene in shock and anger.  
  
"You bastard. How could you?"  
  
Phil Corvin pulled out a gun and aimed it at him. "Don't look so surprised, Dr. Quest. I'm surprised you didn't figure it out sooner from the laptop you had stolen from him."  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------  
  
...and now, the conclusion.  
  
**_Manipulation_**  
by Time Guardian  
  
Chapter 9 - **_Past Demons_**  
-----------------------------------------------------------  
  
Dr. Quest struggled hard against Jonny's tight grasp.  
  
"I've figured out enough. What did Zin promise you, Corvin? Money? Power?"  
  
"It's not that simple," Corvin replied with a harsh laugh, "I was involved in an I-1 op that went badly. I would have been convicted of treason, but I was able to cover it up. He threatened to expose me unless I did his dirty work."  
  
He stepped closer and kneeled down until his face was mere inches from Dr. Quest.  
  
"And now for my last task, Dr. Zin has ordered me to kill both of you."  
-----------------------------------------------------------  
  
He couldn't have heard right.  
  
"But father, I was about to finish the mission and-"  
  
"Shut up," he heard him growl, "You failed when you let your laptop out of your sight. All of that training was a wasted effort. Maybe we should have killed you instead of kidnapping you. Five long years, training you and brainwashing you into the perfect assassin to kill your own father here. You even forgot your name, didn't you, Jonny Quest?"  
  
Anger and denial rushed through his mind. -it can't be...-  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------  
  
Dr. Quest fought the revulsion that surged within him. He could have only guessed at what Jonny went through, but to totally strip him of his identity...  
  
He felt his son's grip on him loosen. Looking around, he saw that Jonny got to his feet and was stammering.  
  
"My name- my name is..."  
  
Corvin got to his feet and sneered.  
  
"You see? You don't even remember. The 'drug cocktails' we injected you with made sure of that, but I guess they weren't enough. You aborted the initial mission because of that stupid mutt of yours."  
  
Jonny snarled, and then rushed towards Corvin with the dagger.  
  
"JONNY! NO!"  
  
Corvin raised his gun and fired twice, hitting Jonny in the shoulder and propelling him to the ground a few rows away.  
  
Dr. Quest rushed to his feet, but Corvin quickly trained his gun on him.  
  
"Don't move."  
  
Out of the corner of his eye, Dr. Quest saw his son stagger to his feet, pick up the dagger, and run out of a door on the far side of the auditorium.  
  
"He won't get far. I will hunt him down and finish him momentarily. As for you Dr. Quest, it's time for you to die."  
  
"You may be able to finish this mission for Zin, but you will not be free of him. I have encountered him enough to know that he does not leave loose ends."  
  
"Ah, but Dr. Quest, this 'loose end' is one of the finest trained agents in I-1. I will be long gone before Zin comes to look for me."  
  
A feminine voice piped up from behind him. "How about me?"  
  
Dr. Quest saw Jessie appear behind Corvin, armed with the pistol Jonny was using.  
  
Corvin raised his hands. "Well, it seems we have a stalemate."  
  
"Indeed we do," Dr. Quest replied, advancing on him. "Now hand me the gun."  
  
Corvin laughed. "Or what, the little girl will shoot me? Let's test that theory..."  
  
Tossing his gun to Dr. Quest, he then quickly snapped around, grabbing Jessie's arms and twisting them sharply upward. She let go of the gun with a sharp cry, then Corvin twisted one of Jessie's arms behind her picked up the gun and aimed it at her head.  
  
"...hmm, I would call that a checkmate, wouldn't you, Dr. Quest?"  
-----------------------------------------------------------  
  
Dr. Quest silently cursed. He pointed the gun at Corvin, but with Jessie in the in the way, there was no way to get to him.  
  
"There's no way I am leaving here without completing my mission. Now, how about-aahhh!"  
  
Corvin staggered back in pain and dropped his gun. Jessie used the opportunity to stomp down on his foot and scrambled out of his grasp. She ran quickly to Dr. Quest's side.  
  
Dr. Quest didn't realize what was going on until he saw a tranquilizer dart sticking out of Corvin's shoulder. Turning, he saw Race.  
  
"I owe you one."  
  
Race motioned to him quickly. "This isn't over yet. Go get Jonny, Corvin is mine."  
  
Handing his gun to Race, Dr. Quest broke into a run, following the path he saw Jonny take.  
  
Race turned to his daughter. "You ok?"  
  
She leaned against the seats, catching her breath. "Yeah."  
  
"Stay here, Jess," he warned, handing her the gun and the tranquilizer gun, "I've got a little unfinished business with Corvin, but keep these handy just in case."  
  
Race turned to face his enemy. He knew that Dr. Quest dosed the tranquilizers to take down someone of Jonny's size, so he figured Corvin wouldn't be out for the count just yet.  
Staggering, Corvin slurred his words.  
  
"Veeery good, Bannon, you haave manipulated me welll."  
  
"You should know about manipulation, Corvin," Race replied menacingly, "you offered my head on a platter in order to take an innocent child away from his father, and all to protect your hide. You don't deserve to live."  
  
Corvin steadied himself against a nearby seat. "I dunno bout that, Raaace. I manipulated you, the government, and the Quests for five long yearsss. I've also maannaged to avoid arrest for treasonnn, so what are youu gonna doo about it?"  
  
"The only thing I can do."  
  
Race quickly spun around, landing a roundhouse kick that sent him sprawling.  
Corvin tried getting up, but was met face to face with the gun Jessie had pointed at him.  
  
Race dragged Corvin to his feet. "Now THAT'S what I call a checkmate."  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Dr. Quest ran through the auditorium door, and found himself on the high school's football field. The green grass was flanked by two large sets of bleachers, but otherwise seemed deserted.  
  
He spoke into his communicator.  
  
"Hadji, meet me outside on the double."  
  
The reply came quick.  
  
"You've got it."  
  
A few moments later, they pondered the field and finding nothing, went to check under the first set of bleachers. They both carefully advanced around the metal grid work of the bleachers, looking over every possible hiding place they could find.  
  
Hadji spotted him near the end of the row and once they reached him, they became alarmed.  
  
Jonny laid on the ground, the front of his black shirt stained a dark crimson from the two gunshot wounds in his shoulder. His dagger was on the ground beside him.  
  
Dr. Quest approached him carefully. "Jonny? It's your father; I'm here to help you."  
  
Jonny reached up, pushed Dr. Quest back and grabbed his dagger.  
  
"No one can help me."  
  
"Jonny-"  
  
"How can I believe you? I don't remember you or much of anything before five years ago. The only memories that fill my mind are of the training and tests that Corvin put me through. He gave my life purpose. He was like a father to me," he exploded.  
  
"No! Jonny, he took your life away. Your life was With me, Hadji and Race, living and growing up at Palm Key. You should have only had to worry about playing and being a kid, not whether you kill someone or not."  
  
Wincing, Jonny struggled into a sitting position, making more blood seep from his wounds.  
  
"You don't know what I have been through. How can I believe you?"  
  
"Fight it son," Dr. Quest urged, stepping closer to him, "it's the drugs they've given you that has taken away your memories. Please believe me."  
  
Jonny made a slashing motion with the dagger. "Get away from me."  
  
He stepped back in frustration, and felt a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Dr. Quest, let me try."  
  
He relented, allowing Hadji to step forward.  
  
"Jonny...it is good to see you again, my friend," Hadji said softly, "how about coming with us and we can help you? I can show you more magic that I learned in India."  
  
Jonny looked at him hard for many moments. "I...don't know you...I don't know either of you. You are trying to confuse me."  
  
"No...I promise you what we are telling you is the truth," Hadji protested.  
  
A new voice piped up from behind them.  
  
"How touching."  
  
Dr. Quest turned around quickly to find Dr. Zin standing before them, gun drawn.  
  
"Zin. Come to finish what Corvin couldn't?"  
  
Zin smiled coldly in reply. "I couldn't trust Corvin. He was sloppy, the only thing he cared about was not being seen as a traitor. Still, he did make some progress for me."  
Your VR technology that he notified me about is especially impressive. The chaos I could ensue using that technology would be tremendous. Countries would pay me not to point their own missiles against them. I can make millions."  
  
"We've stopped you before," Dr. Quest said with vehemence, "we can do it again."  
----------------------------------------------------------  
  
-We can do it again...-  
  
Dr. Quest's voice echoed in Jonny's head. His memory was still badly fragmented, but small shards were starting to come through loud and clear. In one memory, he saw himself hugging Dr. Quest and calling him dad-  
  
and in another, he finally remembered his nightmares.  
  
-I am Jonny Quest.-  
  
He clenched the hilt of his dagger tightly.  
----------------------------------------------------------  
  
"How do you think I got Corvin where he was? There are many people in your government loyal to me, loyal enough to even look away when I had your son kidnapped. I am surprised you survived his attack; he bested at least half a dozen of my men with his sword skills," Zin scoffed, pointing his gun at Dr. Quest. "No matter. I will finish this my-"  
  
There was a blur of movement. Eyes wide, Dr. Zin stopped mid-sentence, stumbled, then fell to the ground hard.  
  
Dr. Quest was astonished to see the dagger that had been in Jonny's hands was now lodged in Dr. Zin's chest.  
  
Hadji stepped forward and checked for a pulse.  
  
"He's dead. Looks like the dagger penetrated his heart."  
  
Dr. Quest turned to Jonny. He had slumped all the way back to the ground and his face was ashen white, but he was smiling.  
  
"I conquered my demons, dad. I know who I am," he rasped.  
  
Dr. Quest voice was full of emotion. "Yes. You are my son, and nothing will ever part us again, I promise."  
  
Dr. Quest sighed as he watched Jonny being loaded into the ambulance. He promised not to be far behind, since the paramedics determined that he would need stitches for his wound, but he just needed a moment to breathe.  
  
In the course of a week, his life was turned completely upside down, torn apart, and restored. Leaning heavily against the bleachers, he closed his eyes.  
"Benton, everything ok?"  
  
Race's voice. He opened his eyes and saw his old friend standing before him looking concerned.  
  
"I'm fine. Just needed to clear my head. What about Corvin?"  
  
"A few G-Men came to take him away. He's going to be up on charges of treason among other things. How's Jonny?"  
  
Dr. Quest sighed. "His pulse is weak and he's lost a lot of blood, but they have him stabilized and on his way to the hospital."  
  
Race put a hand on his shoulder and steered him towards the parking lot.  
  
"You need to be on your way as well, Benton. I heard what the paramedics told you. Let's go. I'll drive."  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------  
One week later-  
  
Dr. Quest sat quietly in the hospital room, and watched his son sleep.  
  
In his hands, Jonny clutched a framed photo of himself five years younger along with his dog, Bandit. It had been the only thing he responded to when he first woke up in the hospital.  
  
The quiet chirping of his cell phone grabbed his attention. He took it out of his pocket and answered it quickly.  
  
"Quest here."  
  
A familiar voice greeted him. "Ok, I'd like to know who put in the good word for me. Seems the Washington brass wants me for the head position at I-1. They seem to think I can clean the place up some."  
  
Dr. Quest gave a quiet laugh. "They've got a lot of faith in you, Race, plain and simple. So, What did you tell them?"  
  
"I told them I was gainfully employed by Quest Enterprises- well, that is, if they still need someone."  
  
"Well, we could use a bodyguard and a tutor, since Jonny will need help adjusting to home life and Hadji will be coming home permanently as well. Pay is good and Jessie would be more than welcome with us as well."  
  
Dr. Quest heard a chuckle at the other end of the line. "You've sold me. I've gotta go pick up Jessie and Hadji from school now. Get some sleep, Benton, Jonny is in good hands."  
  
The conversation over, he shut off and pocketed his cell phone, then moved closer to the hospital bed.  
  
In the week since Jonny had been brought there, doctors tended to his gunshot wounds and did CAT scans to check for brain damage from the drugs he had been given. The tests came back all clear, but the doctors warned him that Jonny might never regain all of his memories.  
  
Dr. Quest ran a gentle hand through his son's hair.  
  
"Sleep well son."  
  
He resumed his seat beside Jonny's hospital bed, and allowed himself to drift off to sleep.  
-----------------------------------------------------------  
  
THE END  
-faints-  
  
I loved doing this story, and it was my first time putting together such an intricate fight scene. So what do you guys think: Is this sequel worthy?  
Was thinking of one or two ideas, but wasn't sure whether to try 'em or not.  
  
Many thanks to my beta reader for his patience and the people at JQML for making me feel welcome, and to both the JQML and FFnet readers for their reviews and feedback.  
  
till later,  
  
Time Guardian 


End file.
